14 GENERAL PRTNCIPLES CONCERNING end graces of his Spirit in his churches; though as yet, in these latter ages, he bath not attained what he was arrived unto in the primitive times of the gospel. A full and clear declaration from the scripture of the na- ture of the Holy Spirit and his operations, may, through the blessing of God, be of use to fortify the minds of professors against Satanical delusions counterfeiting his actings and inspirations. For directions unto this pur- pose are given us by the holy apostle, who lived to see great havoc made in the churches by deluding spirits. Knowledge of the truth, trying of spirits that go abroad by the doctrines of the scriptures, dependenceon the Holy Spirit, for his teachings according to the word, are the things which to this purpose he commends unto us. Sect. 23.Thirdly; There is in the days wherein we live, an anti-spirit setup and advanced against the Spi- rit of God in his being and all his operations, in his whole work and use towards the church of God. For this new spirit takes upon him whatever is promised to be effected by the good Spirit of God. This is that which some men call the light within them, though in- deed it be nothing but a dark product of Satan upon their own imaginations; or, at best, the natural light ofconscience, which someofthe heathens also called a spirit. e But hereunto do they trust as that which doth all for them, leaving no room for the promise of the Spirit of God, nor any thing for him to do. Titis teacheth them, instructs them, enlightens them; to this they attend as the Samaritans to Simon Magus, and as they say, yield obedience unto it. And from hence, with the fruits of it, do they expect acceptation with God, justification and blessedness hereafter. And one of these two things, these deluded souls must fix upon; namely, that this light whereof they speak, is either the Holy Spirit of God or it is.not. If they say it is the Spirit, it will be easy to demonstrate how, by their so saying, they utterly destroy the very nature and be- ing of the Holy ghost, as will evidently appear in our explication of them. And if they say that it is not the Holy Spirit of God which they intend thereby, it will be no less manifest, that they utterly exclude him on the other side, from his whole work, and substitute dta. dico. Lucili; sneer inter inos spirits, seder, braoesn olorowque ,nostromm obsetvator et custom; proni nobis tractatus est, ita ipse nos ractat.Sente, Epist, 41. imbiber, yea an enemy in his room. For another god is a false god, another christ is a false christ, and ano- ther spirit is a fidse spirit, the spirit of antichrist. Now, because this is a growing evil amongst us, many being led away and seduced, our duty unto Jesus Christ, and compassion for the souls of men, do require that our ut- most endeavour in the ways of Christ's appointment should be used to obviate this evil, which eatethas doth acanker; which also is propagated by profaneand vain babblings, increasing still unto more ungodliness. Some I confess do unduly rage against the persons of those who have imbibed these imaginations, falling up- on them with violence and fury, as they do also en o- thers; the Lord lay it not unto their charge. Yet this hinders not but that by those weapons of our warfare which are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down such like imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into cap- tivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ; we ought to attempt the destruction of their errors, and the breaking of the snares of Satan by whom they are taken captive alive at his pleasure. Thecourse indeed of opposing errors and false spirits, by praying, preach- ing, writing, is despised by them in whose furious and haughty minds, tire, seca, occide; burn, cut, and kill, are alone of any signification; that think, arise Peter kill and eat, tobe a precept of more use and advantage unto them than all the commands of Jesus Christ be- sides. But the way proposed unto us by. the Lord Je- sus Christ himself, walked in by his holy apostles and all the ancient holy learned writersof the church, is that which in these matters we must and shall attend unto. And that course which is particularly suited to obviate the evil mentioned, is to give a full, plain, evidentde- claration from thescripture of the natureand operations of the Holy Spirit of God. Hence will it be undenia- bly manifest what a stranger this .pretended light is un- to the true Spirit ofChrist; how far it is from being of any real use to the souls of men, yea, how it is set up in oppositionunto him and his work, by whom, and by which alone, we become accepted with God, and are brought.unto the enjoyment of him. Sect. 24 Fourthly; There are moreover many hurt- ful and noxious opinions concerning the Holy Ghost gone abroad in the world, and entertained by many to
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